03.075
damayantyuvāca॥
Damayantī said;
na māmarhasi kalyāṇa pāpena pariśaṅkitum। mayā hi devānutsṛjya vṛtastvaṃ niṣadhādhipa ॥03-75-1॥
You should not, O auspicious one, suspect me of sin. I have indeed chosen you, O lord of Niṣadha, abandoning even the gods. (03-75-1)
tavābhigamanārthaṁ tu sarvato brāhmaṇā gatāḥ। vākyāni mama gāthābhir gāyamānā diśo daśa ॥03-75-2॥
But for the purpose of your approach, brāhmaṇas have gone from all sides, singing my verses in songs, into the ten directions. (03-75-2)
tatastvāṁ brāhmaṇo vidvān parṇādo nāma pārthiva। abhyagacchat kosalāyām ṛtuparṇa-niveśane ॥03-75-3॥
Then, O king, a learned brāhmaṇa named Parṇāda approached you in Kosalā, at the abode of Ṛtupārṇa. (03-75-3)
tena vākye hṛte samyakprativākye tathāhṛte। upāyo'yaṃ mayā dṛṣṭo naiṣadhānayane tava॥03-75-4॥
Since both the statement and the counter-statement were properly eliminated in this way, I have found this means for your Naiṣadha-mission. (03-75-4)
tvāmṛte na hi loke'nya ekāhnā pṛthivīpate। samartho yojanaśataṃ gantumaśvairnarādhipa ॥03-75-5॥
O lord of the earth, O lord of men, except for you, truly, no one else in the world is able to travel a hundred yojanas in a single day with horses. (03-75-5)
tathā cemau mahīpāla bhaje'haṃ caraṇau tava। yathā nāsatkṛtaṃ kiñcin manasāpi carāmy aham॥03-75-6॥
O king, thus I worship these two feet of yours, so that I may not do anything improperly, even in my mind. (03-75-6)
ayaṃ carati loke'smin bhūta-sākṣī sadā-gatiḥ। eṣa muñcatu me prāṇān yadi pāpaṃ carāmi aham॥03-75-7॥
This being moves in this world as the witness of all creatures, ever moving. Let him take my life if I commit sin. (03-75-7)
tathā carati tigmāṃśuḥ pareṇa bhuvanaṃ sadā। sa vimuñcatu me prāṇān yadi pāpaṃ carāmy aham ॥03-75-8॥
Just as the sun always moves through the sky over the world, let him take my life if I commit any evil. (03-75-8)
candramāḥ sarvabhūtānām antaś carati sākṣivat। sa vimuñcatu me prāṇān yadi pāpaṃ carāmy aham॥03-75-9॥
The moon moves within all beings like a witness; may he release my life if I commit evil. (03-75-9)
ete devās trayaḥ kṛtsnaṁ trailokyaṁ dhārayanti vai। vibruvantu yathāsatyam ete vādi tyajantu mām ॥03-75-10॥
These three gods indeed support the entire three worlds. Let them, if they are truthful, declare this as it is, or else let them abandon me. (03-75-10)
evam-ukte tato vāyur-antarikṣād abhāṣata। naiṣā kṛtavatī pāpaṃ nala satyaṃ bravīmi te ॥03-75-11॥
After these words were spoken, then Vāyu spoke from the sky: "This woman has not committed any sin, O Nala; I tell you the truth." (03-75-11)
rājan śīlanidhiḥ sphīto damayantyā surakṣitaḥ। sākṣiṇo rakṣiṇaś cāsyā vayaṃ trīn parivatsarān॥03-75-12॥
O king, the treasure of virtue flourished, protected by Damayanti. We have been her witnesses and guardians for three years. (03-75-12)
upāyo vihitaścāyaṃ tvadarthamatulo'nayā। na hyekāhnā śataṃ gantā tvadṛte'nyaḥ pumāniha॥03-75-13॥
This means has been undertaken for your sake and is unsurpassed by her; for truly, no other man here except you can go a hundred yojanas in a single day. (03-75-13)
upapannā tvayā bhaimī tvaṁ ca bhaimyā mahīpate. nātra śaṅkā tvayā kāryā saṅgaccha saha bhāryayā ॥03-75-14॥
O king, Bhaimī has been obtained by you, and you are (reunited) with Bhaimī. You should have no doubt here; unite with your wife. (03-75-14)
tathā bruvati vāyau tu puṣpavṛṣṭiḥ papāta ha। devadundubhayo nedurvavau ca pavanaḥ śivaḥ ॥03-75-15॥
As he was speaking thus to Vāyu, a shower of flowers fell; the divine drums resounded, and an auspicious wind blew. (03-75-15)
tad adbhutatamaṁ dṛṣṭvā nalo rājātha bhārata। damayantyāṁ viśaṅkāṁ tāṁ vyapākarṣadarindamaḥ ॥03-75-16॥
O Bhārata, then Nala the king, subduer of foes, having seen that most wonderful thing, removed that doubt in Damayantī. (03-75-16)
tatas tad-vastram-arajaḥ prāvṛṇod vasudhādhipaḥ। saṁsmṛtya nāgarājānaṁ tato lebhe vapuḥ svakam॥03-75-17॥
Then the prince covered the lord of the earth with that cloth. Remembering the king of the nāgas, he then regained his own body. (03-75-17)
svarūpiṇaṁ tu bhartāraṁ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasutā tadā। prākrośad uccair āliṅgya puṇyaślokam aninditā॥03-75-18॥
But having seen her husband in his original form, Bhīma’s daughter then embraced the illustrious and blameless one, and cried out loudly. (03-75-18)
bhaimīm api nalo rājā bhrājamāno yathā purā। sasvaje svasutau cāpi yathāvatpratyanandat ॥03-75-19॥
Nala the king, shining as he once did, embraced Damayantī and also joyfully welcomed his two children as was proper. (03-75-19)
tataḥ svorasi vinyasya vaktraṃ tasya śubhānanā। parītā tena duḥkhena niśaśvāsāyatekṣaṇā ॥03-75-20॥
Then, the auspicious-faced woman, placing his face upon her own chest, overcome by that sorrow, with eyes full of sighs, sighed deeply. (03-75-20)
tathaiva maladigdhāṅgī pariṣvajya śucismitā। suciraṃ puruṣavyāghraṃ tasthau sāśrupariplutā ॥03-75-21॥
In the same way, with her body smeared with dirt, she embraced him, her face bearing a pure smile, and stood for a long time before the tiger among men, overwhelmed with tears. (03-75-21)
tataḥ sarvaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ damayantyā nalasya ca। bhīmāyākathayatprītyā vaidarbhyaa jananī nṛpa ॥03-75-22॥
Then, O king, the mother of the princess of Vidarbha affectionately related to Bhīma everything as it had happened concerning Damayantī and Nala. (03-75-22)
tato'bravīn mahārājaḥ kṛtaśaucam ahaṃ nalam| damayantyā sahopetam kālyaṃ draṣṭā sukhoṣitam ॥03-75-23॥
Then the great king said, "Having purified myself, I will see Nala, who, together with Damayantī, has approached in the morning, having slept comfortably." (03-75-23)
tatastau sahitau rātriṃ kathayantau purātanam। vane vicaritaṃ sarvamūṣaturmuditau nṛpa॥03-75-24॥
Then, O king, those two joyfully spent the night together in the forest, recounting all the ancient stories they had experienced. (03-75-24)
sa caturthe tato varṣe saṅgamya saha bhāryayā। sarvakāmaiḥ susiddhārtho labdhavān paramāṃ mudam ॥03-75-25॥
Then, in the fourth year, he, having united with his wife, being well-fulfilled in all desires, obtained supreme joy. (03-75-25)
damayanty api bhartāram avāpya āpyāyitā bhṛśam। ardha-saṃjāta-sasyā eva toyaṃ prāpya vasundharā॥03-75-26॥
Damayantī too, having regained her husband, was greatly nourished, just as the earth with half-grown crops is, upon receiving water. (03-75-26)
saivaṃ sametya vyapanīta-tandrī; śānta-jvarā harṣa-vivṛddha-sattvā. rarāja bhaimī samavāpta-kāmā; śītāṃśunā rātrir ivoditena ॥03-75-27॥
Thus, having drawn near, with her fatigue gone, fever calmed, and exhilarated by joy, the daughter of Bhīma shone, her desires fulfilled, just like the night shines when the moon with cool rays rises. (03-75-27)
